History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July
1842]

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

Area settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping...

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

visited the Saints in
Chester Co. Penn: on their mission East, and there met
Elder
Geo.
A. Smith

26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into LDS church by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple...

22 Tuesday
22. Elder Theodore
Curtis, having previously been arraigned before a Magistrate
and bound over in the sum of forty pounds, for “blasphemy,” (i.e.)
preaching the Gospel, appeared at the Court of Sessions, at
Gloucester, England and after remaning five days—
was informed on enquiry, that no bill was found against him, and was
suffered to go at large again after paying one pound and one shilling
costs. Thus we see that the same opposition to truth prevails in other
countries, as well as in this.

The following
is extracted from a letter in the “Juliet Courier”
Monmouth

“June
1841 My Dear Sir. Before this reaches you— I have no doubt you will have
heard of the trial of
Joseph
Smith: familiarly known as the Mormon Prophet. As some
misrepresentations have already gone abroad, in relation to
Judge Douglass’ Stephen A.
Douglas’s

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

; permit me to say the only
question decided, though many were debated, was the validity of the
executive writ which had once been sent out, I think in
Septr. 1840, and a return on it that
Mr. Smith could not be found.
The same writ was issued in
June 1841. There can really be no great
difficulty about this matter— under this state of facts. The
Judge

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

acquitted himself handsomely, and
silenced clamors that had been raised against the
Defendant. Since the trial I have been at
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

Illinois, and
have seen the manner in which things are conducted among the Mormons
In the first place I cannot help noticing the plain hospitality of the
Prophet Smith, to all Strangers visiting the
Town

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

appear to be honest and
industrious, engaged in their usual avocations of building up a town, and
making all things around them comfortable. On Sunday I attended one of
their meetings, in front of the
Temple

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

.
There could not have been less than 2.500 people present, and as well
appearing as any number that could be found in this or any State.
Mr. Smith preached in the morning, and one
could have readily learned then, the magic by which he has built up this
society, because as we say in
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

—
“they believe in him”— and in his honesty. It has been a matter of
astonishment to me, after seeing the prophet as he is called;
Elder
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

, who will visit there; why it
is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to
reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution, (which gives free
religious toleration to all,) have slandered, and persecuted this sect of
Christians.”

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland Co., England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodists and was local preacher. Migrated from...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

Area settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping...

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

visited the Saints in
Chester Co. Penn: on their mission East, and there met
Elder
Geo.
A. Smith

26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into LDS church by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple...

<22> Tuesday
22. Elder Theodore
Curtis, having previously been arraigned before a Magistrate
and bound over in the sum of forty pounds, for “blasphemy,” (i.e.)
preaching the Gospel, appeared at the Court of Sessions, at
Gloucester, England and after remaning five days—
was informed on enquiry, that no bill was found against him, and was
suffered to go at large again after paying one pound and one shilling
costs. Thus we see that the same opposition to truth prevails in other
countries, as well as in this.

The following
is extracted from a letter in the “Juliet Courier”
Monmouth

“June
1841 My Dear Sir. Before this reaches you— I have no doubt you will have
heard of the trial of
Joseph
Smith: familiarly known as the Mormon Prophet. As some
misrepresentations have already gone abroad, in relation to
Judge Douglass’ [Stephen A.
Douglas’s]

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

; permit me to say the only
question decided, though many were debated, was the validity of the
executive writ which had once been sent out, I think in
Septr. 1840, and a return on it that
Mr. Smith could not be found.
The same writ was issued in
June 1841. There can really be no great
difficulty about this matter— under this state of facts. The
Judge

23 Apr. 1813–3 June 1861. Lawyer, politician. Born at Brandon, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Stephen Arnold Douglass and Sarah Fisk. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, 1830. Moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois, 1833. Served as attorney general of Illinois...

acquitted himself handsomely, and
silenced clamors that had been raised against the
Defendant. Since the trial I have been at
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

Illinois, and
have seen the manner in which things are conducted among the Mormons
In the first place I cannot help noticing the plain hospitality of the
Prophet Smith, to all Strangers visiting the
Town

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

appear to be honest and
industrious, engaged in their usual avocations of building up a town, and
making all things around them comfortable. On Sunday I attended one of
their meetings, in front of the
Temple

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

.
There could not have been less than 2.500 people present, and as well
appearing as any number that could be found in this or any State.
Mr. Smith preached in the morning, and one
could have readily learned then, the magic by which he has built up this
society, because as we say in
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

—
“they believe in him”— and in his honesty. It has been a matter of
astonishment to me, after seeing the prophet as he is called;
Elder
[Sidney] Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

, who will visit there; why it
is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to
reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution, (which gives free
religious toleration to all,) have slandered, and persecuted this sect of
Christians.”

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland Co., England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodists and was local preacher. Migrated from...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

This document, “History,
1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six
volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The
Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title
“History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period
from 23 December 1805 to 8
August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on
2 November 1838 with
JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by
the “Governor

14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

, Illinois,
on 31 July 1842. For a more complete
discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the
general
introduction to this history.

Volume C-1 was
created beginning on or just after 24 February
1845 and its narrative was completed by 3
May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through
3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24
and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845).
It is in the handwriting of
Thomas
Bullock and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda.
Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a
supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856,
volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers
Willard Richards

and Thomas Bullock drew heavily
from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries;
meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences,
recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s
behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format
established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author.
Brigham
Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into LDS church by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple...

, and others reviewed and
modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the
Salt
Lake City newspaper Deseret News.

The historical
narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of
JS’s life as prophet and president of the church.
Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this
text include the Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church
leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in
England by the
Twelve

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal
redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial
Star in England; the migration of English converts to
America

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

; missionary efforts in other
nations; the death of church patriarch
Joseph
Smith Sr.

12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Also known as pinery. Area near Black River where lumbering operation was established to provide timber for construction of Nauvoo temple, Nauvoo House, and other public buildings. Four mills established on Black River, ca. Sept. 1841: three near Black River...

on the Mount of Olives in Palestine;
publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and
Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the
“Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo;
and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.

,
Jonathan Grimshaw, and
Leo
Hawkins; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third
volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume
covers the period from 2
November 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1,
B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 August
1844.